Russian regulator to supervise new NIIAR facility

13 August 2014

Rostechnadzor, the Russian regulator, has established an integrated working group to supervise construction of a multi-functional radiochemical research centre at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad.

The centre will carry out research and development work on technologies for the closed nuclear fuel cycle of fast neutron reactors.

The document was signed by the head of Rostechnadzor, Alexey Aleshin, in accordance with a 2011 regulatory order on state supervision of the construction and renovation of nuclear power facilities.

NIIAR plans to build the centre by 2017 as part of the revised federal target program for 2010-2015 and until 2020.

Founded in 1956 to host both research and experimental reactors, NIIAR is said to be the biggest nuclear research centre in Russia. It researches fuel cycle, radiochemicals and radioactive waste management, as well as producing radionuclides for medicine and industry. It hosts the main R&D on electrometallurgical pyroprocessing, especially for fast reactors, and associated vibropacked fuel technology for these.